What would you want the DLC after Utopia to focus on?

[Me_]

You wish new expansion focus on earth-like diplomacy, espionage, trade...
Why are You limiting Your ideas to anthropomorphic concepts, mirroring other Paradox grand strategies?

Because that's how this game has been made so far. This is not Endless Space or Starcraft. The inspiration for this game are TV shows with rubber-forhead aliens that act just like humans but for one or two quirks.

I would love to see civilizations that play completely different, but so far it seems to be the realm of flavour text for events and some AI-only nations (Prethoryn).

 

[SuperGeek89]

For me I would like the next DLC to add more federation mechanics particularity acutal elections for the federation president. Would also like to see a mechanic where through reforms a federation could be united into a single empire.

 

[SS Boss]

For me I would like the next DLC to add more federation mechanics particularity acutal elections for the federation president. Would also like to see a mechanic where through reforms a federation could be united into a single empire.

Talking about federations, a feature where you can turn your empire a federation "upgrading" the sectors to some government with large degree of autonomy is interesting, albeit a bit complex. Probably a good resolution to calm down internal unrest, "losing the rings but not the fingers".

 

[Monphat]

Would like to see future expansions in following order:

1. Space Market expansion focusing on trade and economy. This is the most important and cornerstone element of a grand strategy game, which is missing almost entirely in Stellaris. I'd really love to see civilian economy and trade in some way, maybe tied with consumer goods and various policies. Also complex rework of resource system. More options for external economic relations, more reasons to go after particular planets, some way of allowing two economies interact. From here we organically get to...

2. Culture Shock expansion focusing on diplomacy and espionage overhaul. While these two categories are extremely important and need more work to be viable from grand strategy perspective, I personally want it to also cover one thing I miss a lot in Stellaris - interactions between species. So it will not only enhance game on strategic level, but will also add some content. In the end this expansion should finally make Galaxy feel more alive and vibrant.

3. Stellar Conflict expansion focusing on wars and everything related to combat. More viable strategies, ship designs, improved ground combat etc. It is pretty straightforward in its scope. Hopefully a lot of good ideas from other Paradox games will be implemented.

4. After three grand mechanics expansions, I'd love to see them being integrated further (avoid EU4 mistakes) by free patch, tying up loose ends, focus on performance and bugs. Expansion itself should be concerned with content and further customization of your nation, focusing on theme of how different aliens may be - Truly Alien. Personally I would love to see more traits, more distinct and asymmetrical gameplay options for various ethical combinations, like religions for spiritualists or distinct pacifist planet development etc. Maybe even return of fleshed out individualists and collectivists.

5. Space Nation expansion to take advantage of revised ethical makeups and focus on internal management and science. Further work on factions and leaders. More sensible and distinct mechanics for all government types.

6. Previous five expansions should make early and middle game much more fun and full of things to do, so I want this one called Apocalypse to completely overhaul lategame crisises. They need to be more scaled and difficult if player is really advanced, there should be more types of such crisises etc. Also would like to see victory conditions finally implemented properly.

 

[Czaristan]

DLC should be actual new stuff. Military, trade and diplomacy are all features that should be fixed without paid content. Paid features should be things like more ship classes "titans" more techs. A cybernetic system similar to the genetic traits system. Options to specialize planets would be really neat. Maybe an in-depth military DLC that adds new features like a logistics system, etc.

 

[Zaltys]

The reason why I'm inclined against trade and piracy is because of personal preference.
Those features made me dislike the EU series: too much micromanagement. I find nothing fun about setting up trade, and it'd be even less fun in this game because it doesn't fit the setting. How many science fiction classics can you think of that focus on trade...? Piracy at least would be thematical, but endless cat-and-mouse chase (depending on your FTL type) against respawning technologically inferior pirates doesn't sound much fun.

It's also why CK2 is my favorite Paradox game: no pirates to chase down, and you can pretty much ignore trade if you're not playing as a republic.

 

[Sechrima]

Ideally I want to be able to create races like the Zerg, Tyranids, etc. so a DLC which adds a parallel tech tree for such types of species would be awesome.

 

[wergy]

B A L A N C E!
For the love of God, please balance out weapons and ships properly. It is ridiculous that there is only one or two fleet types effective with exact number of very specifically equipped ships!

 

[Guilliman88]

More crises, both galaxy spanning and empire spanning. Also more crisis events. Events that lead to new techs, ships, modules as well as crisis events that let you direct a crisis to a specific part of the galaxy (if that's something you do).

I'd also like new crisis types that are of our own making. Grey goo gone rampant, bio engineered xenos (think prytorian scourge but more like aliens (movies). Or an uplifted species that suddenly grows and techs way too fast and are too inexperienced to use it all, leading to a hyper aggressive species.

Or a crisis where someone invents a FTL drive that rips open space which ends up creating a lot of black holes (and swallows worlds). Naturally that civ invents ways to stop it from happening in it's own space. You'd end up having to force(wargoal?) the empire to stop using the FTL if it doesn't stop on it's own..

stuff like that for mid to endgame.

 

[PirateJack]

Diplomacy and trade as a free patch, hive minds and other unique civilisation types as paid DLC.

 

[Corvid]

B A L A N C E!
For the love of God, please balance out weapons and ships properly. It is ridiculous that there is only one or two fleet types effective with exact number of very specifically equipped ships!

I would have mentioned this, but it's definitely more free patch material rather than DLC.

 

[safe-keeper]

A couple of posts in this thread gave me an idea.

Different tiers of "decoding" alien civilisations. The first research project would unlock communications, as it does now, but you would experience a relations penalty from xenophobia and cultural differences -- in essence, you are able to communicate, but not effectively, akin to how explorers often experienced culture shocks when meeting new nations in Earth history. Perhaps certain diplomatic options like defensive pacts could possibly be locked, too.

The following research projects would reduce and eventually take away this penalty and unlock diplomatic options.

 

[Hatsune Miku]

An expansion on diplomacy and trade would be indeed very welcome, especially if it could do something to give more character to the AI empires.

I would also like a DLC focusing on governments and leaders, with new events and mechanics fleshing them out. For example, monarchies could have stuff like regencies, pretender rebels, some focus on dynastic matters (I don't know if it's been changed recently, but the last time I checked you couldn't even name/rename your heir on a monarchy, though that's probably a bug), etc. Democracies could have things such as popular pressure for an impeachment or new elections, ruler candidates that associate with factions and if elected could lead to undesired ethos changes, etc. Rulers with bad traits (something like an EU4 ruler with bad stats or a CK2 ruler disliked by the vassals) giving malus to things like influence/unity and giving more unrest and less happiness, and so on. There are many possibilities that, in my opinion, would greatly improve the roleplay and immersion aspect of the game.

 

[safe-keeper]

I'd also like new crisis types that are of our own making. Grey goo gone rampant, bio engineered xenos (think prytorian scourge but more like aliens (movies). Or an uplifted species that suddenly grows and techs way too fast and are too inexperienced to use it all, leading to a hyper aggressive species.

This can already happen .

Spoiler

Uplift a species and they may start a global nuclear war on their planet.

 

[Guilliman88]

This can already happen .

I meant, uplift a species and it starts with your tech and a 300% tech/supply/resource bonus or something. So it surpasses you after a few years and basically becomes something like an awakened fallen empire (in terms of strength). They could have unique techs and ships so they pose a real challenge (as they start with just one system). They could instantly get unique near undefeatable fortresses, and start terraforming every planet in their system.

 

[Cifer]

Making Sectors a benefit instead of a necessary hindrance.

 

[Exarian]

A couple of posts in this thread gave me an idea.

Different tiers of "decoding" alien civilisations. The first research project would unlock communications, as it does now, but you would experience a relations penalty from xenophobia and cultural differences -- in essence, you are able to communicate, but not effectively, akin to how explorers often experienced culture shocks when meeting new nations in Earth history. Perhaps certain diplomatic options like defensive pacts could possibly be locked, too.

The following research projects would reduce and eventually take away this penalty and unlock diplomatic options.

Very nice idea. On top of that, some races should be easier to communicate then others (for example - humans communicating with other humanoids vs humans communicating with plants)

ATM it is something like:

Hey I just met you
And this is crazy
On first contact,
Federation maybe?

It have to be stopped.
Stopped before any kind of trade/espionage arrive, because without this critical fix, things will become weird at insane level.

 

[safe-keeper]

I meant, uplift a species and it starts with your tech and a 300% tech/supply/resource bonus or something. So it surpasses you after a few years and basically becomes something like an awakened fallen empire (in terms of strength). They could have unique techs and ships so they pose a real challenge (as they start with just one system). They could instantly get unique near undefeatable fortresses, and start terraforming every planet in their system.

That's... an awesome idea.

 

[NoDebate]

Why do I have to use a foreign nations currency? It is stronger if I have my own! If I have the strongest currency in the Galaxy why would I want to use someone elses? I think if the "good guys" are forcing me to get rid of my currency and sovereignty they are not very "good" to begin with.

If you don't want to embrace the Auspicious Concordat's First Financial Resolution, you're more than welcome to leave (assuming you aren't voted out).

You see what we've done here? We're creating Federation politics.

I also acknowledge that my "good guy" vs "bad guy" analogy is flawed and that a Galactic UN (and its resolutions) would be better suited in federations.

 

[kineticspartan]

Some kind of "Strategic warfare" expansion/DLC.
Stellaris badly needs something to spice up the current lack of any strategic/tactical options.
-Sensor arrays/listening posts (of a more limited range than the current superstructure in Utopia expansion)
-Logistics, a supply system and support structures (supply bases, ammunition factories, ship yards) -something to give smaller or tall empires a better chance against overwhelming or short opponents.
-Purpose built carriers!!!